


What Comes Next?

by breathing_and_writing



Series: Adrien AUGreste 2020 [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: (nothing too explicit though), Adrien AUGreste, Adrien August, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, POV Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, PTSD, Panic Attack, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Snake Noir - Freeform, bending canon a little bit, post-Miracle Queen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25777336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breathing_and_writing/pseuds/breathing_and_writing
Summary: The battle against Miracle Queen was the hardest so far. Hawkmoth didn't win... so why does it feel like they lost?For Adrien August, Week 1: Snake Noir.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Adrien AUGreste 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870021
Kudos: 37





	What Comes Next?

It had been one week since Miracle Queen. Barely anything had changed in his civilian life but as a superhero everything was different.

The events of the fight had definitely brought the superhero pair closer. By some sort of unspoken agreement, they had met for “patrol” every day since. They didn’t really patrol, they just silently sat together, in what felt pretty much like mourning. Dwelling on what had happened, he didn’t know what upset him the most: all the damage Hawkmoth had done or seeing Ladybug slowly come undone at the pressure of the new responsibility she now bore.

As he landed on the chosen secluded rooftop, Adrien knew he had to do, _to say_ , something about it, they couldn’t just sit to sulk forever, but he was beaten to it.

“So… I have been thinking.” Surprise and relief battled for dominance in him at her finally speaking. “Things in the future are probably just going to keep getting harder.”

Seeming unhappy by her choice of words, she started again. “What I mean is, I think we should start more actively training and studying and preparing than just patrolling, you know?”

While this was probably supposed to be a pep talk, Adrien just felt the somber mood settle deeper. They couldn’t afford something like Miracle Queen to happen again, mistakes and accidents couldn’t be made anymore.

“So anyway, I brought this,” trying to clear up the tension, she reached into her yoyo’s storage compartment and pulled something out, “for you.”

She finally pushed her arm forward and he gasped in recognition. Innocently resting on her palm, was a small octagonal black box with a red design engraved on top.

He turned to look at her with wide eyes. “Really? For me?”

“Yes, after… last fight, it’s probably better for us to always be ready to bring out the big guns.” She kept talking as he reached for the box. “I know it’s more dangerous to wear two miraculouses at the same time, but I think it’ll be worth the risk. Besides, I know Sass will be safe with you.”

Adrien’s hands froze over the box. “Sass?” He could feel his heart starting to race. “You’re giving me the snake miraculous?”

“I saw how well you did with him and Plagg together.” The ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. “You were so in control when I was not and both miraculouses actually match pretty well.”

Then as an afterthought, she added “besides, we no longer have designated temporary holders for anything anymore so…” that probably wasn’t meant for him but due to his enhanced hearing he caught it anyway.

“I can’t take it.” He rushed to get the box back to her, focusing on locking away all his thoughts and memories before they managed to drown him.

“I know having two miraculouses at the same time exhausts you and drains you, but Chat Noir, I know you can take it, this and more.” Then with a wink, she continued, “I’m the new Guardian after all.”

So many things flashed before his eyes in what felt like hours but were probably just seconds: his 25,913 failures as Aspik, how Luka had been a better holder than him, how he couldn’t stop Hawkmoth as Snake Noir, how his lady had depended on him with the snake miraculous _so many times_ , and he’d failed her _so many times_. He was on the edge, so _so close_ to falling over, but the sight in front of him managed to save him.

He concentrated on Ladybug, on the optimism in her eyes, and on how she was doing so much better even though it had only been a week. 

He managed to utter a barely audible “Okay.”

“What do you say we take him on a little practice run?”

He figured if she did, he could try to be okay too.

“Plagg, Sass, unify!”

┅┅┅┅┅

It had been one week since Miracle Queen. It was easy to be strong and brave in front of other people but it was impossible when he was alone.

He tumbled into his room, the light of his detransformation flashing in the dark. The suit was off and he was home, but that didn’t quell his anxiety. The combination of the trapped feeling of being in the Agreste residence and the burden of the extra weight on his wrist refused to let his heart slow down.

He went to take the bracelet off, the movement reminding him of his special power when he remembered. “Always be ready.” “Two miraculouses at the same time.” “I know you can take it.”

He couldn’t take it off.

_He couldn’t take it off._

**_He couldn’t take it off._ **

Any chances of his breathing being normal out the window, he pressed his trembling hands against his temples, trying to keep the memories away. But now there was no one optimistic acting like everything was alright and the memories started flooding him faster than he could swim.

His legs giving out, he managed to slowly slide down to the floor instead of just crashing down. The cool glass on his back reminded him where he was but it didn’t make the images seared into his mind go away.

_You didn’t just fail with Desperada 25,913 times._

_You failed with Miracle Queen when it mattered the most._

_And now Hawkmoth is winning._

He slowly opened his eyes, they had been scrunched so hard it had started to hurt, and was met with an unexpected sight.

On his chest, just right above his heart, was his favorite kwami, curled in a little black ball. It took Adrien a moment to notice the small god was purring.

Sensing the change, the kwami looked up right into his eyes, showing the most emotion the boy had ever seen in those green irises. Plagg had never been one for words but this time he didn’t need them, his eyes told everything he wanted to say.

_It will get better._

┅┅┅┅┅

It had been one week since Miracle Queen. Things weren’t alright right now but eventually, they could be. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I do something this angsty, so I hope it was okay (and please do tell me if it's unproperly tagged).  
> (There also wasn't a lot of actual Snake Noir in this whoops).
> 
> ———
> 
> I'm also on Tumblr: [@breathing-and-writing](https://breathing-and-writing.tumblr.com/)


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